The holiday season is best known for Christmas music, a soundtrack that returns every December to dominate playlists and charts worldwide.
This year, however, the competition has taken a dramatic turn that left music fans and critics excited.
For a long time, Mariah Carey “All I want for Christmas is you dominated the Christmas music scene, and its opening lyrics instantly evoke the holiday season.
But this December, the beloved classic from Wham!last christmas” managed to dethrone Carey’s all-time favorite from the Billboard Global 200, marking a historic change in the Christmas dynasty.
As the holiday season approaches, so does the annual takeover of global playlists.
Because Christmas music isn’t just nostalgic: it’s one of the most reliable coining machines in the music industry.
Streaming platforms have turned these songs into annual revenue cycles, with streams skyrocketing every November and December.
These are the notable artists who have turned the holiday season into a perennial payday, earning millions year after year.
Michael Bublé dominates the Christmas lists
Michael Bublé dominates the Christmas streaming charts, cementing his status as a legend of modern Christmas music.
Your festive collection, led by the perennial favorite “It’s starting to look a lot like Christmas,”‘ is estimated to have grossed around $16 million over the past few holiday periods, backed by huge streaming numbers and a strong presence on global playlists.
‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ by Mariah Carey
Since its release in 1994, Mariah Carey ‘All I want for Christmas is you’ It has become an annual revenue driver.
The iconic hit generates between $1.8 and $2.2 for Carey each holiday season.
Lifetime royalties have exceeded £44 million and are continuing to grow.
Wham!’s billion-stream bonanza
With over 1.66 billion streams on Spotify, Wham!’s’last christmas has earned approximately $6.6 million from the platform, making it one of the highest-grossing holiday songs in music history.
‘Santa Dime’ by Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande has broken into the Christmas music elite with ‘Santa Claus tell me,’ a modern Christmas anthem that now grosses over £1.7 million each year, standing out among all the other Christmas hits dominated by classic artists.
Paul McCartney’s ‘A Wonderful Christmas’
Paul McCartney wonderful christmas Genera has amassed almost £12 million over its lifetime, proving that even low-key Christmas songs can become lasting income assets.
How did Christmas songs become such consistent earning juggernauts?
The answer is pretty simple: Christmas classics don’t disappear, they just go into hibernation.
Thanks to streaming platforms, these topics now live on an annual cycle: views increase every November and December, then decrease until the next season arrives.
Gone are the days of relying solely on radio or CDs. Today. Billions of streams keep royalties flowing year after year, ensuring artists and their estates earn effortlessly, season after season.
